City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 13.9% higher than in Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN would need about $113,900 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,184 in Knoxville, TN. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 18% in Knoxville, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Knoxville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Knoxville, TN to Portland, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +13.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.4% in real buying power.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Knoxville, TN | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,884 in Portland | $87,809 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.2%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
33 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Knoxville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Knoxville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Knoxville, TN to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | Portland, OR | Real change, Knoxville → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | −5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | −5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | −5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | −5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | −5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $82,330 | $72,293 (+16.6%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $156,000 | $136,982 (+12.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $92,200 | $80,960 (+7.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $130,310 | $114,424 (+48.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.